"The Island", or "An t-Eilean" in Gaelic, is not the first detective series set in the Scottish isles (think "Shetland") but will pick up plenty of attention because it is the first with a large budget in the Gaelic language, with English subtitles. That's not its only selling point, though – Sorcha Groundsell turns in a great performance as Kat Crichton as the cop returning from the big outside world to reconnect with her past and the show works in any language.
Here's how to watch "An t-Eilean/The Island" online from anywhere with a VPN — and potentially for free.
"An t-Eilean/The Island" is available to stream on BBC iPlayer from Tuesday, January 14. It will also air on the BBC Alba Gaelic channel at 9.00 p.m. on the same date and weekly thereafter.
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As ever in a small isolated community – and this show is set on the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides - here are buried secrets and long-standing feuds which, along with incredible scenery and a brutal, unforgiving climate, are perfect for the kind of edge that Scandi Noir classic series such as "The Killing" and "The Bridge" have riffed on for years.
Will liaison officer Kat get to the bottom of the murder in just four episodes? She will have to overcome her issues with the Maclean family and millionaire sociopath Sir Douglas Maclean in particular (perhaps the reason she left the island in the first place) but that could prove to be its own motivation.
Read on to find out how to watch "An t-Eilean/The Island" online, on TV and from anywhere.
How to watch 'An t-Eilean/The Island' for free in the U.K.
How to watch 'An t-Eilean/The Island' from abroad
Thanks to the wonders of a VPN (Virtual Private Network), "An t-Eilean/The Island" should be available to Brits no matter where they are. The software allows your devices to appear to be back in your home country regardless of where in the world you find yourself. Our favorite is NordVPN. It's the best VPN on the market – find out why in our NordVPN review.
Using a VPN is incredibly simple.
1. Install the VPN of your choice. As we've said, NordVPN is our favorite.
2. Choose the location you wish to connect to in the VPN app. For instance, if you're away from the U.K. and want to view a U.K. service, you'd select U.K. from the list.
3. Sit back and watch the show. Head to BBC iPlayer to watch "An t-Eilean/The Island" episodes online and on-demand just like you would at home.
How to watch 'An t-Eilean/The Island' around the world
Can I watch 'An t-Eilean/ The Island' in the United States?
There is no release date for "An t-Eilean/The Island" in the U.S. as of yet.
However, if you are a Brit in the States for work or on vacation you can catch the show for free anyway by using a VPN such as NordVPN, choosing U.K. from the list and heading to BBC iPlayer.
How to watch 'An t-Eilean/The Island' online and on-demand in the U.K.
If you live in the U.K. then you can stream "An t-Eilean/The Island" on BBC iPlayer from Tuesday, January 14. You'll need a valid TV license, naturally. It will also air on the BBC AlbaGaelic channel at 9.00 p.m. on the same date and with weekly episodes airing in the same spot.
If you're not in the U.K., you can still catch the show by using one of the best VPN services, such as NordVPN.
Can I watch 'An t-Eilean/The Island' online or on TV in Canada?
As with the U.S., there is no release date for "An t-Eilean/The Island" in Canada at present.
However, if you are a Brit in the Great White North for work or on vacation you can catch the show on your usual platform, i.e. iPlayer, by using a VPN such as NordVPN.
Can I watch 'An t-Eilean/The Island' online in Australia?
There is no release date for "An t-Eilean/The Island" in Australia yet.
However, if you are a Brit working or on vacation Down Under and you want to catch the show you can do so by using a VPN such as NordVPN.
Can I watch "An t-Eilean/The Island" online in New Zealand?
There are currently no confirmed plans to air "An t-Eilean/The Island" in New Zealand.
However, if you are a Brit currently there for work or vacation you can catch the show by using a VPN such as NordVPN.
'An t-Eilean/ The Island' cast
- Sorcha Groundsell as Kat Crichton
- Sagar Radia as DCI Ahmed Halim
- Elspeth Turner as Lady Mary
- Iain Macrae as Sir Douglas Maclean
- Sinéad MacInnes as Eilidh Maclean
- Andrew Macinnes as Calum Maclean
- Meredith Brook as Sìne Maclean
- Sam James Smith as Ruaraidh Maclean
'An t-Eilean/ The Island' Episode guide
Season 01 Episode 01 – When Lady Mary Maclean is murdered on the Isle of Harris, newly qualified family liaison officer PC Kat Crichton is assigned to the case. A high-profile case like this is the career opportunity of a lifetime but for Kat, this is not just a job. A decade earlier, she got caught up in the twisted web of the Maclean family and was forced to flee the island. Ten years older, a resolute Kat now returns, determined to bring the killer to justice.
Nuair a tha Lady Mary NicIllEathain air a murt sna Hearadh, tha an t-Oifigear Teaghlaich ùr, PC Kat Crichton, a’ tòiseachadh air a’ chùis. Cha ghabh cùis le ìomhaigh cho àrd ri seo a sheachnadh ach do Kat, chan e obair a-mhàin a tha seo. Deich bliadhna roimhe, chaidh a glacadh ann an lìon toinnte teaghlach MhicIllEathain agus b’ fheudar dhi an t-eilean fhàgail. Tha Kat a’ tilleadh, nas sine, dàna agus daingeann gum faigh ceartas làmh an uachdair air a’ mhurtair.
S02 E02 – Kat brings up the inconsistencies in Sir Douglas’ story to her boss, but without hard evidence it feels flimsy. And when it’s revealed eldest Maclean son Calum has a questionable alibi, he becomes the focus of the investigation.
Tha Kat ag innse don cheannard aice mu mhì-chòrdalas sgeulachd Sir Douglas, ach gun fianais cheart, cha ghabh cus a dhèanamh. Nuair a thathar ag ionnsachadh gu bheil alibi mì-chinnteach aig Calum, tha e ga fhaighinn fhèin aig cridhe an rannsachaidh.
S02 E03 – TBA
S02 E04 – TBA
'An t-Eilean/ The Island' - FAQ
What has Sorcha Groundsell said about her character in "An t-Eilean/ The Island"?
Tell us about your character
I'm playing Kat Crichton, a police officer from the Isle of Harris. She spent 10 years away in Inverness after some drama on the island, and comes back to investigate her former home.
Kat is someone who carries a lot of baggage from her early life. She's had to put a lot of effort into rebuilding herself in Inverness after she left the island, and as a result of that, has a lot of things to work through when she returns home. She's very hard working and driven, and has a kind of level of bravery, really, in facing those demons that I kind of admire, but she also has, you know, some downsides, as all humans do.
She was fascinating to play, actually, really multi-layered. And I think playing someone with that much drive and that much simmering beneath the surface, rage, in a way, was really incredibly satisfying. It was a lot of fun to play.
How did you find working in Gaelic?
It's been really wonderful working in Gaelic, but it has been a challenge, I think, for those of us who are not the Gaelic old school, as it's something that we struggle to use in our day to day lives. A lot of us don't have primarily Gaelic speaking families, and so I think a lot of us are feeling some pressure about our levels of fluency, but I think if anything, that makes it all the more important to participate in a show like this, because, if we all maintain this feeling that our Gaelic is never good enough and it's never good enough to use, no one will ever have a chance to use Gaelic, so we have to push through, and we have to reconnect, to keep it alive and to keep it breathing. That's the old school argument in the islands. Who's got the best Gaelic? Some people say Skye. Personally, I'm biased. I would say South Uist, but it's like all languages, there are regional differences and regional dialects and I think that part of the interesting thing about it, is that the language has developed to fit the community and the culture. Better a broken Gaelic than a locked up Gaelic, so essentially, even if it's not perfect, use it or lose it.
How important is it to make Gaelic drama on this scale?
It feels hugely important and I think it's high time. In the Gaelic world, I think, we have been underserved in a lot of ways. We are not given time and government funding and attention in the way that we really should be. And I think it is really an inspiring time and a necessary time to really like take ownership of our language and our culture and celebrate it for what it is, which is, a source of incredible joy to so many people. I think it's about time that we really celebrate it.
Why now?
It feels like the perfect time to make a Gaelic drama of this size and this scope. I think there's been a real resurgence of commitment to Gaelic from speakers and from organizations and community leaders to really amplify Gaelic as a language and remind people that it's an incredible language, and it's a source of amazing cultural value. I think this is the perfect time to make a drama like this, a high-end Gaelic drama, both because there is such passion for the language and the culture reemerging within the community and also because there's an open mindedness, in the world now, to foreign language dramas, to cultures that are not necessarily perceived as mainstream. I think there is an appetite for stories and an art that is providing a different viewpoint, and I think that is inherent in Gaelic storytelling, and will be inherent in Gaelic drama, too.
What else can I watch on BBC iPlayer?
Lots – including "Strike: Ink Black Heart", "Gavin & Stacey Christmas Special", "Call The Midwife", "Doctor Who: Joy to the World", "Strictly Come Dancing", "Outnumbered" and plenty more.
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